3 Ways to Save Money on Lodging When You Travel

Travel planning is undergoing a revolución, and it’s one you definitely want to be a part of. Long gone are the days where you need to call up a hotel, go to Marriott’s website, or even use a hotel search engine like Kayak or Priceline to make trip reservations. With so many alternative stay options on the market, hotels have had to make changes like dropping their prices or changing their amenity options to keep up with the sharing economy.

Usually I choose my accommodation type based on the length of my stay. Here are some tips on how to choose affordable lodging options so that you can splurge on other areas of your trip.

Mid-Length Stays

Opt for Airbnb or another similar homestay. Airbnb’s tend to be cheaper and offer more amenities. The cost of renting an entire apartment on Airbnb can be more than 20 percent cheaper than a hotel room and a private room can be more than 50 percent cheaper. Larger cities are usually teeming with Airbnb’s, so it’s likely that you can be pickier about the neighborhood you stay in than with a hotel. Perfect location at a perfect price, what could be better?

Check out reviews — it’s not uncommon that your host will have a semi-stocked kitchen ready for you. And if there’s not, even having a fridge comes in handy to store the essentials like milk, water, fruit, or yogurt. And let’s not forget the bottle of bubbles or vodka while getting ready for a night on the town! You would be surprised how much you could save just by stocking up so that you’re at least set with the essentials for breakfast. Plus, a trip to the grocery store for that much needed yogurt or fresh fruit can be an attraction in itself. You never know what local products you might come across or who you might meet.

Though he calls New York home and works as a project manager there, Bill is a travel enthusiast who traveled more than 100,000 miles last year to destinations ranging from Madrid to Mumbai. He enjoys singing along to Latin pop at parties and in the car, although his friends don’t always share the same passion...